Chilliwack RCMP officers responded in force Wednesday morning to a report of a man seen walking down Watson Road with a handgun, sending at least seven cruisers to investigate.

It turned out to be a “cap gun” stuck in the waistband of a youth walking down the road with his friend.

The two found themselves facing a phalanx of police officers with real guns drawn.

Sgt. Stewart Falebrinza said police officers have no way of knowing if a firearm is real or not, “so we use all the precautions necessary” for their safety.

“These paint ball guns and cap guns are all a lot of fun,” he added, but young people ought to think twice before flashing them in public – and setting off a string of events that could have very serious consequences.

The two youths in this case were taken into custody, reprimanded, and then delivered to their parents.